


Maybe the Word to Focus on Isn't 'Normal'

by zara2148



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Telltale Series (Video Game)
Genre: After the Same Stitch ending, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Light Angst, M/M, Spoilers, vigilante joker path
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-14 00:59:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14124708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zara2148/pseuds/zara2148
Summary: “So… I haven’t seen our pointy-eared friend making news lately. You gotta wonder what’s up with that, what’s happened to him? He can’t be dead, obviously.” He shared a conspiratorial grin with Bruce over his cards. “But has he gone to ground? Dove deeper into those shadows that he so likes?”“I think there’s a possibility you’re missing. Maybe he’s not hiding. Maybe, he’s quit.”





	Maybe the Word to Focus on Isn't 'Normal'

**Author's Note:**

> So I choose to give up being Batman (because screw that tragic flaw of Bruce prioritizing the mission over his loved ones) AND got the ending where Bruce visits with John in my playthrough of Same Stitch. And started wondering how John would take the whole 'Not being Batman' thing anymore. 
> 
> Also, fair warning, I have very little to no idea on how to play poker. In my defense, John also has little to no idea and is just kind of winging it. And it’s kind of just metaphorical anyway.

It was on the sixth visit to Arkham that the topic was raised. They sat at the table in John’s cell as he, in his capacity as ‘host’, dealt the cards for their game of poker. Or well, John’s idea of poker, which included sporadic shouts of “Go fish!” and “King me!” that never failed to tug a small smile out of Bruce.

“So… I haven’t seen our pointy-eared friend making news lately. You gotta wonder what’s up with that.”

Bruce picked up the hand he was dealt. “What do you mean?”

“Well, what’s happened to him? He can’t be dead, obviously.” He shared a conspiratorial grin with Bruce over his cards. “But has he gone to ground? Dove deeper into those shadows that he so likes?” He considered his cards, then played them face down with a shrug. “The agency isn’t around anymore, so why not show himself?”

Bruce placed his cards down face up. “I think there’s a possibility you’re missing. Maybe he’s not hiding. Maybe, he’s quit.”

“Because of the agency?!” John’s hands flexed around the edge of the table, gripping it hard, but he retained enough control to stay in his seat.

“No. Or well, I don’t think so at least. As you said, they’ve left.”

John allowed his grip to relax and he released the table. He didn’t even glance at Bruce’s cards as he gathered them up with his own. Wasn’t like they were playing for any stakes in this game.

He reshuffled the deck. “But, why then? Why not – why wouldn’t he be Batman anymore?”

“I really can’t say.” Not here, anyway.

John set the deck down without dealing from it. “But you must have some idea or guess.”

Bruce was in a plain button-up shirt and slacks; he’d felt awkwardly overdressed during that first visit, in a suit and tie while John was in his Arkham uniform. But he wished for a tie to fiddle with, to fix. Something to give him a reason to look away from John’s piercing green gaze.

But there was nothing that could tear him away from it.

He exhaled. “Well, if I had to guess… I’d say maybe, Batman just realized his limitations as a man.”

“Yeah, but what a man. He saved the city from me, you know.”

 “I don’t think it was solely about saving the city when he confronted you.” Now it was too much to look at him, while saying what came next. “Maybe it wasn’t even mainly about the city. Or the agency.”

John let out a breath, and looked over at the framed photo he had of him and Batman. The asylum had allowed him only one photo, and he had chosen that one. “So… do you think he’s gone?”

Bruce turned back to look at him, John’s gaze still on his photo of Batman. “Not gone, no. I think he’s just finding some new paths to take in life. Trying to find some better ways of doing good.”

“You’re here, though.” And Bruce couldn’t tell if that was a statement or a question.

“Someone recently pointed out to me how my actions have been hurting the people I – ” his heart clenched, his throat clogged and it hurt so very much to look at John but he couldn’t stop “ – care about.”

He stretched out his hands in supplication. “I want to make amends. Try new paths.”

“Like Batman.”

“Yes.”

Silence, drawn out by hesitance. “And maybe, when you get out of here – ”

John’s gaze swiveled from his framed photo to Bruce to better raise an eyebrow at him. “Do you really think they’re ever going to let me out?”

“Oh, I imagine it’ll happen eventually, one way or another,” he answered with forced lightness. John’s eyes sparkled at the promise in that tone.

Bruce let his voice return to a more natural pitch. Which, unfortunately, meant having his nerves show. “And when that does happen… would you be interested in, perhaps, trying out normal life together?”

“Normal, huh. That, uh, didn’t go so well for me last time I tried something like it.”

“I haven’t had much success there myself.” A shrug that tried to pass off his failure as meaningless, inconsequential. “But it does seem to be how the game is played.”

A scoffing laugh. “But we’re above that game, you and me.”

“Yes, I think both of us are rather tired of games.” He didn’t look at the stack of cards that had gone ignored between them for some time now.

There wasn’t a ready response to that, and John let his gaze wander back to his framed photo of Batman. He had chosen it because he wanted a reminder of Bruce with him, something to keep close.

And it had cut into his chest less to look at Batman’s mask than Bruce Wayne’s face.

A sigh, as he laid his hands flat on the table, the stacked deck between them. His eyes met back up with Bruce’s. “Normal… what even is that?”

 “I don’t know.” His nerves had tensed up some of his body. He carefully placed a hand over one of John’s, relaxing only as seconds passed and it wasn’t brushed off. “But I think it means leaving some things behind, and I don’t want them to be any of the people I care about.” He squeezed ever so slightly. “Maybe the word to focus on isn’t ‘normal’ but ‘together.’”

A few more seconds passed as John just let Bruce’s hand hold onto his. Then he covered it with his other hand, to better feel its warmth, and admired how they just seemed to fit together.

He shot Bruce his trademark wide grin. “For you, Bruce, I’d give anything a shot.”


End file.
